


aren't we miraculous beasts?

by talonyth



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Drabble Collection, Gen, I'm Bad At Tagging, monster au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2016-03-31
Packaged: 2018-04-24 11:38:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 8,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4918096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talonyth/pseuds/talonyth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"We all live in a forest and we're all a little different - but in a good way, you know?"</p><p>drabble collection based on suikka's inktober monster au, hopefully updated daily with a tiny drabble for each creature along with suikka's drawings!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. deer hinata

**Author's Note:**

> alright here we go, i felt so inspired by suikka's prompts and how her drawings have turned out so far for inktober that i decided to give this a shot. it's honestly just a collection of smaller drabbles that aren't necessarily linked though they might hint at others living in the same forest as them occasionally. i'll link suikka's respective drawing to every chapter so make sure to check it out!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first one yay! [here](https://twitter.com/moontobio/status/649536714319482880) is the first drawing of deer hinata by suikka who is always surrounded by butterflies! i listened to [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX94tfBsgcU) while writing so it might help the atmosphere, have fun!

A jump! Missed his chance again to catch the fluttering tiny bastard in his hands. There are better days than this one for hunting butterflies, certainly. Not that Hinata plans on eating them, they probably don't taste good anyway but it's fun. Pastime and they are around him all the time anyway.

They usually outdo him though. His hands either close too slowly, or his legs jump up late (outrageous, finds Hinata, to be outsmarted by a butterfly when he is the quickest deer in his flock!) and even when he catches them, by the time he opens his hands, they have already taken off his palms, flying off into the distance.

"Fine then," he huffs, and would never admit he is sulking, "go back to your friends, I'll see you around here again anyway."

Of course, the butterfly doesn't reply nor hear him. But it will come back. They always do. Hovering around Hinata, resting on his antlers or his nose. The cheekiest butterfly managed to sit on the tip of his nose for what felt like half a day - and it even kept spreading its wings as if to obstruct Hinata's field of vision. He did try to shoo it but all it did was lifting itself off to come back a second later.

He looks around him, and, as expected, plenty of butterflies grouping around him. 'Your favourite flowers, Shouyou,' his mother told him before, 'they love those. Just like you.' Ever since, butterflies have been buddies with the same preferences to him. And they have showed him nice places occasionally. Places only he knows about. Places with more flowers than he could count or carry and it's the only time the butterflies do scatter and leave him be. They return by the time Hinata gets up to leave. It would be a little lonely without them after all, and maybe they think the same.

There it is again. That red butterfly with black streaks. He hasn't seen this sort around a lot. Actually never, if he thinks well about it. Blue and green and yellow and white, sometimes even black ones but never red ones. They must probably be special, that must be the reason he couldn't catch it at first. 

But his name wouldn't be Hinata if he didn't chase it down and the soon he thinks that, the butterfly lifts itself off the flower of a raspberry bush and flutters away. Hinata doesn't think twice, and neither do his legs, carrying him over the wet grass. At least he doesn't sink into the muddy ground again, last time it happened his father had to push him out and that was about the most embarrassing thing he ever experienced (aside from the time he tumbled down a cliff chasing what turned out to be a feather. Not even a bird. Just a feather.) 

The stalks of grass stick to his hooves and it's almost nerve-wracking how often he has to kick back in order to get them off, it makes him slower and Hinata hates nothing more than being slowed down. 

Velocity is where his heart is at. He is confident in that, he knows he could outrun every resident of the forest... well, aside from the butterflies it seemed but they were just tricky assholes. There is nothing he believes in more than the power of his legs, they are quick and they can make him jump the highest, they are the most trustworthy part of himself.

And so, he does trust them and with a leap, his eyes set on the red butterfly ahead, he reaches out, brushing its wings and realizing in midair it's not in his hands. He stomps onto the ground with a huff as he lands, all four hooves in a cutting and strong rhythm matching his frustration and catches it flying into a part of the forest he isn't very familiar with.

He could get lost there. Hinata raises an eyebrow, his ears dart up slightly as he hears sounds from the thicket. ...He could at least give it a look, right? Just a tiny little bit. He trots ahead, covert breaking under his hooves as he tilts his head curiously.

There is a smell that catches Hinata's attention enough for him not to pay any to the red butterfly anymore - or to any of the butterflies for that matter, all of them staying behind rather than following him.

For the first time, the butterflies refused to follow - and Hinata hasn't even noticed yet.


	2. unicorn kageyama

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> double update today since i didn't do anything yesterday! but here is [suikka's drawing for today](https://twitter.com/moontobio/status/649846446229954560) and [the song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgJzc3L-ylw) i listened to while writing! have fun with it :>

The wind smacks right into his face and Kageyama pulls a grimace, offended at the audacity the breeze had to disturb his afternoon nap. He hates this part of the year when the wind grows colder and more aggressive. At least the colours of the leaves change and it makes for a nicer atmosphere to sleep in but after that....

Ugh, winter. Kageyama scrunches his nose. The shit season. No leaves. No warmth. _No food._ There is barely a season Kageyama hates more. The air does smell fresher but there is nothing else that comes to his mind he could possibly like about winter. 

Not yet though. Thankfully. It's not winter yet and this means, wind punching him metaphorically awake or not, he can still roam around for food without fearing to freeze to death (or starve because all food is frozen or not growing in the first place, man does he hate winter).

He blinks sleepily, rubs his eyes and lets out a yawn that could wake up even the deadest undead, rivalling a werewolf's cry but only barely. Those might as well be the only noises Kageyama knows that are louder than an unicorn's yawn, and the only ones that do make him freeze for a second. Good thing werewolves and unicorns weren't enemies. Usually.

He gets up with some effort, stomping his hooves into the ground to warm them up. Damn, the grass has gotten cold after the rain after all. Not the most comfortable place to sleep on, that wet grass, but it's better than... well, a lot of other things. Like rocks. Or mud. Or---

His stomach makes a noise that makes his ears prick up and if he didn't feel the tremor shaking his whole body, he could have sworn the werewolf he thought of a second ago did pop up magically like summoned.

"Time for a snack," he mumbles as his legs carry him into the forest almost lazily. He doesn't like getting up much. Being awake is a nice state, being asleep also but that type of mid-sleep or pre-awake... he grumbles and finds it's probably the hunger that makes him grumpy. The world will be alright as soon as he gets his hand on some of those nicely smelling red apples.

He's discovered them only recently. Not that apples were a novelty to him, they did grow on trees in the forest, not too rarely either. Green, yellow, somewhere in between red and yellow - those were okay but not quite as satisfying as the fully, dark red apples from the depths of the forest.

Not entirely safe to get there but like anything could harm him. He could impale any opponent before they even try to attack him so he never worries much about where he is going. Nobody ever aproaches him in the first place. 'Your face is too scary, your voice is too loud, your tone is too harsh,' all the sorts of things he's heard before.

Oh well. They should stay away then. They miss out on some neat things he finds around but less things to share with others, he guesses. Good for him, less for the others but it's their own fault anyway. Being the last unicorn left had at least some advantages.

His legs carry him into the inner part of the forest, dark but not necessarily instilling terror. His mind is not capable of thinking of anything else but the upcoming dinner and perhaps where to have his next nap. ...Though he sort of feels his hooves and fingers itching for something else. He wonders what? 

He hasn't done butterfly hunting in a good while. They all just suddenly disappeared like they found another place to be at, more interesting than the glades he usually hung out at. The only ones he's still seen around were the red ones. Those with stripes. Pesky little things, quick and clever. They weren't easy to catch.

He flinches when he feels something grazing his shoulder, turning his head to see exactly one of the butterflies he thought of resting there quietly. Kageyama stops walking and watches it carefully, wings opening slowly, folding them together and taking a few steps just to stop once more. ....It tickles.

His hand goes up to his shoulder, silently with slow motions as to not scare it away but the second he means to grasp the butterfly's wings to catch it, it flutters away, lowering itself on his raised fingers. Kageyama huffs.

"Are you playing games with me now?"

He doesn't wait for a sign of a reply before trying to catch it with his other hand - and failing as it escapes his palm. Kageyama grinds his teeth and his stomach reminds him once more that he isn't here to play but to eat. So he continues his way, trying not to think of that butterfly - unsuccessfully as he clenches his fists in frustration.

And as if to taunt him, he sees it again, lazily batting its wings in the same direction as he is headed. Bastard butterfly. He'd get it this time, right from behind when it doesn't expect it, he thinks and leaps, failing to catch it and, embarrassingly, see the old tree right in front of him.

With a thump, his horn is stuck in the trunk of the tree and Kageyama stomps onto the ground angrily, the sound of his hooves resounding in this rather empty part of the forest loudly. He unclenches his fists, places his palms on the bark of the tree softly - and starts pushing with the force of ten unicorns. To no avail. His horn doesn't even budge in the slightest and his stomach starts howling.

"This shitty butterfly," he grumbles as he pushes more, the tree shaking menacingly despite its big scope. He tries moving his head, left, right, pulling with a jerk - no chance. Short rest, his arms drop down and he lets out a deep breath full of anger before he tries it another time.

It works... partly. Enough for Kageyama to manage to get his horn out of the trunk a little later with shaking and cursing and more pushing but mostly really cursing. By the time he is finally free, his stomach started revolting and aggravating him even more. Good thing no one saw this tragedy. Not that it never happened to Kageyama before, it's not as rare an occurence as it might seem but it's still always a pain in the ass. The first time it happened, he had started crying and wailing so loudly that one of the mechanical people living around the forest helped him and told him to take care for that not to happen again.

Two days later, he found himself stuck in a tree again but realized his arms were strong enough to get himself out of his misery. He hasn't seen that metal person again, but he knows he simply did what that person did too and it magically worked. He'd like to thank him, eventually.

For now though, all he wants is some apples and a nice place to rest. It can't be too much to ask after all this sort of action. It couldn't possibly get any worse, after all, unless someone stole his beloved apples. Ha, as if that would happen, he thinks, a grin spreading on his face. After all, he is the only one the red butterflies led to that place, of that Kageyama can be absolutely certain.


	3. werewolf daichi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [here](https://twitter.com/moontobio/status/650239143818211329) is suikka's drawing this is based on, and as always, [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mGlewOalgk) is the song that was on repeat for me while writing this! cries i want to fluff his fur

He feels his skin itching and hurting but no matter how much he scratches, he knows the feeling won’t leave. It’ll be full moon in a few nights. Daichi could pass on pre-full moon notices most of the time, he already knows by watching the moon by himself how the phases are but what could he do against nature? His hunger is getting worse by every day, his sleep is as restless as it can be and those two things don’t result in him having the best of all moods. 

It’s okay though, he figures, he knows how to control himself. He’s heard once too often what a reliable and respectable of his kind he was, possibly the only one the rest of the forest inhabitants didn’t hate and despise and… fear. Daichi isn’t feared but he is respected. They know not to mess with him despite his grounded personality. 

Because even if self-control is his top priority, there is no way he can guarantee it and lately, whenever he turned, the periods where it had been just black had gotten longer. ...He tries not to mind that too much. Usually, the other forest creatures stay hidden at full moon anyway. They know how dangerous full moons can be. The smarter out of them do, at least. 

He knows of a very proud and fearless unicorn that roams the inner part of the woods quite often, even during full moon - but Daichi wouldn’t mess with one of those. The only reason there was but that one single unicorn left wasn’t them. It was none of the other creatures but their own kind. Daichi had heard stories of how the unicorns hunted each other, killed and impaled one another for a reason no one knows of. They were beautiful but murderous. Sometimes he thinks they might be related to the demons that had found their place in the forest as well. 

Daichi scratches the back of his ears and it feels pleasant for a moment but uncomfortable in the next again. Distraction. What he needs is something to distract him, and he knows just the thing he could do. He ate only a little while ago so hunting is out of question. Playing with the undead over in the depths of the forest was out of question too - it was too bright outside for them to come crawling out of their graves. 

But recently, he has seen something swimming in the river, something so unlike any other fish he has seen before. Much bigger and faster and… he guesses more beautiful too but he never got a proper glimpse of that thing outside of the water. 

His ears perk up as does his tail in anticipation and he already mentally plans how to catch that giant fish or whatever it is as he heads towards the sound of water, rushing down in a stream. He’ll think of whether or not he will eat it after he sees it.


	4. merman suga

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this must have been one of the things i was looking forward to the most omg, [here](https://twitter.com/moontobio/status/650656061138014208) is the wonderful drawing of suga by suikka, and here's the [daily matching song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diGvMPPnjEk)!

Much faster and much more exciting than his life in the sea had proven to be, Suga enjoys nothing more than racing along the stream of the river that connected the ocean with the land, leading him into a forest of unprecedented beauty - and danger. He has heard screams more terrifying than any of the beasts belonging to the ocean, seen shadows that made him hide underwater rather than stay at the surface for too long. 

Although he can’t simply miss out on any opportunity to peek out of the water when he feels safe enough to do so. His ears are sensitive enough to tell him no one is around even when he is still playing with the much livelier fish living in the river rather than in the ocean. Those were usually bigger - but also much slower and much less fun to be around. Most of the time they were out for a fight, and while Suga never says no to those, he does enjoy this carefree type of playing around every now and then. 

Not to say that the air at the surface feels much different on his skin than down at the shore. Fresher, colder but at the same time more thrilling in anticipation of things Suga has never seen before. The forest is dark, especially in the inner parts where the river ends in a small lake, barely enough for Suga to discover much.

Suga has been there before and heard a yawn so frightening, he decided to not stay there for a longer time than necessary. He isn’t a scaredy-cat - but picking fights with creatures of the surface _at the surface_ sounds like suicide when he doesn’t even have a strong pair of legs. If only they dared to come close enough to the water though, Suga thinks as swims along with the stream, then he could easily rival them in strength. 

He wonders if they know he exists. He wonders even more if they would test him. It sounds exciting, somehow. 

There it comes, the small waterfall, and he closes his eyes as he shoots down along with it, body tense entirely as to not be swept away or crush against the rocks underneath. There are a few fish following him, swimming around him in the highest spirits after they reached the bottom of the waterfall, the silent and quiet lake resting as if it was entirely disconnected from the rapid stream just above. 

Suga pops his head out of the water, one of the fish tugging at his finger but he shoos it away. Not because he doesn’t want to play but because he tries to listen. Lately there is this figure that is most definitely following him. It keeps appearing, steps having the same rhythm, the same sound, Suga is certain it is always the same shadow following him. So perhaps someone _does_ know he is here, roaming the river up and down. One of the reasons Suga has been reluctant to stay at the surface for too long - and yet he can’t deny how curious he is about that creature. 

Does it want to kill him? Eat him? Perhaps it just wants to be friends. For someone to even sense him, in the water, to see him even, it requires some skills to do that and Suga weighs down if it’s worth the risk or not. 

The bushes are rustling suddenly and Suga tenses up for a moment. Those sounds... there they are. The same rhythm. The same sound. He swims towards a pair of small rocks resting by the lake, one of his favourite spots ever since he has reached this place, and pulls himself up on them. 

Today, he feels like being daring.


	5. zombie asahi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had far too much fun writing this, oh god asahi, my poor big bear, will you ever get some rest? this time a warning for gore, both for the drawing and the chapter but as always, [here's](https://twitter.com/moontobio/status/651091393054646272) the fantastic drawing by suikka and i'm still having real tears in my eyes and the [fitting song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc1YgQXuP0E)! i hope you have as much fun reading this as i had writing it g o d he might actually be my new favourite thing

“Ah! Not again…” Asahi’s voice breaks as he feels some weight falling off his arm suddenly. ...More like his entire arm just dropped straight to the ground and leaves the undead sighing. “Why does this keep happening, I even made more stitches...” 

He mumbles incomprehensibly, even to himself as he bows down to collect his lost limb. This is the third time in the last few days that this has happened and he starts to think his arm simply doesn’t like him. Though his left arm seems to be okay with him. ...Ironically, when he has always been a righty. 

He reaches out for the arm, skin gotten even more pale than before and frankly, he dislikes the sort of sickly colour he has taken by now but well - he has been dead for quite a while now and he would certainly not look healthier with the time. Another sigh escapes his dry throat when he catches sight of his left hand. His pinky finger is nearly falling off again and he wouldn’t want a certain fairy to bring it back to him. Again.

So then it’s an evening full of stitching his limbs back to his body unless Daichi comes around, feeling the need to rip a foot or an arm more as well. ...The werewolf is someone Asahi would call the closest he has to friends but his way of playing is definitely not the most comfortable for Asahi. Given he doesn’t feel any pain but remembering that could have hurt back when he was still alive is enough to make the games a lot less funny. 

If he were to be asked how it is possible for him to still be alive - and thinking - Asahi wouldn’t be able to reply. Magic? Of the black and dark kind perhaps? Some sort of illness? He hasn’t questioned his sort of afterlife much ever since he rose. The inner parts of the forest aren’t visited much except for creatures more horrendous than he is (in his opinion, they are much much scarier!) and even they keep away from him. ...Unfortunately. 

Honestly, he would like some more friends around, he thinks as he lowers himself and almost loses half his foot as he bows over to his grave to pick a few sewing utensils out of a small wooden box Daichi brought him around some time. It still has the bite mark sunken into the polished wood. Another reason for Asahi not to mess with Daichi too much. The marks his teeth leave in his limbs at times are more than enough for him. As if he doesn’t look rotten and torn enough yet. 

He sits down pulling at his left toe - and ends up with half of his left foot in his hand. A meek whine comes out of his mouth and he sighs again, all the wrinkles on his face on their rightful place. At least his face never fell off even if the stitches suggest that. Asahi never actually told anyone they are just for show, to look more intimidating after Daichi told him that he has to look wilder if he wants to prevail in this forest. 

In hindsight, he didn’t need that seeing as no one even comes close to him. Probably because of the smell. And his torn clothes. ...And the mushrooms growing on his head after a fairy spell gone wrong. 

Sometimes Asahi wishes he weren’t one of the rotting type undead but… maybe more of a vampire undead. They are still young and beautiful and not rotting and most definitely not losing their limbs every other day. They have pretty clothes not full of drool and bite marks because a certain werewolf doesn’t have his power in check sometimes and they probably smell like expensive perfume… and maybe a little of blood. He knows there is a vampire in the forest but he’s never met them. Are they nice folks? Or dangerous? Perhaps they are both. 

He pulls the needle out of the wooden box and looks at his limbs sprawled out on the ground before him. He’ll probably start with his arm, alright, that’s what he needs first. And after that he could consider attaching his foot back to check out the area a little more - perhaps there might be someone who wants to befriend him after all.


	6. fairy noya

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> didn't manage to write one yesterday bc i was too tired zzz but double update today! first up is fairy noya, [here](https://twitter.com/moontobio/status/651461212228714496) is suikka's drawing and [here's](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dFB8ns-r-c) the daily song for it :>

He breathes in calmly, estimating the amount of force he’d have to put in in order to make exactly one fruit fall off that tree. Despite his size, Noya - and all other fairies, for that matter - have quite the strength in them. Enough to shake trees and make fruits fall off, for sure. Also enough to tackle pesky animals away from his favourite succubus. It doesn’t matter that she doesn’t even notice that, what counts is the thought after all and he wouldn’t want wild animals to even as much as graze her. 

Not that she couldn’t take care of herself, but one can never be careful enough in a forest like this. You might even get caught by a huge spider’s net if you’re not looking where you’re flying. Only happened once to Noya and never again (mostly because him and the spider have declared to become best friends after realizing they shared a religion: a certain, beautiful succubus). 

He crosses his arms in front of his chest and grimaces. Apples are sturdy trees, he would have to aim well, take a run-up… but these apples were certainly worth the hassle. He has never eaten a fruit sweeter than these and apparently someone else found out about those as well. 

Lately, there have been piles and piles of leftovers of finished apples scattered on the ground. Noya does remember overhearing butterflies whispering something about leading a unicorn to this place, feeding it well and then eating it once it is fat and lazy but if there is one thing Noya knows then that butterflies are all talk, no action. 

...He is sure they don’t even have teeth to chew on something like a unicorn but they don’t seem to be aware of that. Idiots. They should stick to the good nectar they get from the inner part of the forest. Not many butterflies dare to go farther than a certain point, or any creature of the forest for that matter but Noya doesn’t see the danger in this part at all. It’s a tad darker but other than that… 

“Their loss,” he comments on his own thoughts and grins. Yes, perfect. The right angle, the right amount of force, he knows just how to kick the damn tree to give him the good loot. He takes another breath, takes a few steps back to reach the very end of the leaf he has been resting on, run-up and---

He does a flip in the air as he leaps off the leaf, voice resounding from the hollow trunks of old, fallen trees which amplifies the coolness factor even more (absolutely planned by Noya) as he yells: “Rolling thunder---” And slams the sole of his foot into the apple tree with so much force his foot print is still visible for the next years (of that he is sure) as he finishes off with, “---kick!”

It echoes, for a good while. With a sense of satisfaction, Noya flutters his wings, diving to the ground to pick up his well deserved lunch. And dinner. And breakfast for the morning. God, he loves apples, he thinks as he heaves one up into his arms and flies towards the next comfortably looking bush to enjoy his meal. Asahi might enjoy these. He looks like the type to like sweet things. It’s worth a try, later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> noya doesn't actually know asahi doesn't eat fruit or taste much of them bc asahi never brought himself to tell noya when he always so excitedly brings him all sorts of stuff from the forest. ...sighs poor asahi living the dead life


	7. spider tanaka

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh a really short update and warning for, well, a huge spider, [here's](https://twitter.com/moontobio/status/651812222994358273) suikka's super cool drawing for spider tanaka and [here's](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO2Dvgkaf8k) the song!

The rocks crack under his weight, tap tap tap tap in an even rhythm and it makes Tanaka feel _mighty_. Given he does feel a little lonely sometimes because many of the forest residents don’t dare to enter his cave _but they better be scared_. His expression sinks when the only prey he finds caught up in his net is a group of the stupid red butterflies Noya hates so much. Consequently, Tanaka has grown to have a natural dislike towards them as well, even more when he heard them say things such as how they would devour all animals and creatures to rule the forest. 

“As if you could do that,” he scoffs, pulling one out of the net. It’s barely still moving anymore. “You’d have to make it past me to manage that.” And down it goes his throat. They taste… surprisingly sweet. A lot like the apples Noya has brought around before. They had to test them after all, before bringing them to their favourite succubus. Only the best for her, the sweetest and tastiest things the forest could offer. 

He chews on the wings for a little longer with a pensive expression. This is by far not enough to satisfy him but who else is there to fight? He could take a look outside, the trees and bushes covered in his and his older sister’s nets - less as a warning but more like an invitation. Too bad barely anyone still took it up these days. 

Tanaka picks the remaining butterflies out of the considerably small net he’s woven and, well, at least they do make for a good snack on the way outside. Tap, tap, tap, tap, still his legs keep up a steady rhythm though he figures he is still too loud. Unlike his much smaller counterparts, there is more weight on him, making it impossible to hunt quite as quietly as them - but it doesn’t mean he isn’t as successful. He prefers his big and quick eight legs more than being a small fry that could be trampled on by at about anyone, no matter how poisonous they might be. 

With ease, he crawls up the rock wall, up to the surface, passing by his sister’s nets and seeing three squirrels caught up in them. At least one of them is more successful with their hunt but he can’t see nor feel her around anywhere. Who knows, perhaps she is out looking for fermented fruits again - or company she could eat those with. Maybe one of those snake guys? She did say something about meeting one of them recently. 

He’ll try his luck on one of the old trees around, they are sturdy and big enough for him to climb up and set a net there. Maybe he’ll even catch a nice little birdie - or another friend, depending on his luck. After all, Noya originally got caught up in one of his nets too before but he couldn't bring himself to eat the fairy as he was sparking all over the place. And turned out to be one of the coolest - if not _the_ coolest - inhabitant of this forest, a small body but a huge presence.

In the distance, he can feel the vibration of someone stomping into the ground frantically, are those... hooves? Could it be a deer? Or even the infamous unicorn making its rounds? On _his_ turf? Tanaka can't suppress a grin. Today might be a good day after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well i guess one of the idiots got caught in tanaka's net, pray for them


	8. satyr ennoshita

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haaaa i've fallen a little behind,,, anyway, here is [satyr ennoshita](https://twitter.com/moontobio/status/652203028976652288) by suikka and [here's](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrmjSR_hgLs) the background music.

He seats himself on a rock, not the most comfortable of all solutions but Ennoshita finds he can’t stand on his own two hooves anymore after stumbling yet again - for the 289th time ever since he’s known Tanaka - into one of the spider’s net. 

Certainly, it might have been his own fault for not watching his way (read as: trusting Tanaka blindly for once) and yet he remembers telling Tanaka more than just once to leave that particular path open for him. No nets, no traps, no ‘I’m just waiting behind that bush for my prey’. Ennoshita has lost count of the years that have passed ever since he first got caught up in the spider’s net - and of the times he felt his soul escaping his body from sighing as much. Sighing his soul out, in a way. That would be morbid. 

Long lost his drive to dance and to make music aloud along with the other forest residents, he has become one bitter satyr, he thinks. His mother always told him to enjoy his life and to make the best out of it but to never ask for too much. ‘Don’t be greedy, Chikara, and life will repay you.’ ...Eventually, Ennoshita has stopped believing that to be true after he realized his heart is too soft to simply entertain the other creatures. 

And though he actively helps them, he remembers his mother’s words and never asks for anything much in return. 

It would be unfair to say they don’t give him anything at all. He has fun. Sometimes. When they behave for a change. ‘For a satyr, you sure know how to be a party pooper,’ he has heard a particularly tenacious and strong fairy say to him before, ‘aren’t you guys always telling everyone to rejoice and be happy? To enjoy our lives at our fullest and have a celebration every once in a while?’ 

The aftermath of that hadn’t just been numerous barely conscious creatures thanks to the fermented apples that have been consumed that night but Ennoshita ended up overgrown with moss and flowers that attracted more wasps than he knew of existing in the forest. Not a very pleasant memory, for all parties concerned. Especially not for him though. He couldn’t sit for what felt like years thanks to a specifically nasty sting in the bottom area. 

Life sometimes sucks, here out in the forest with all sorts of weird beasts. Him included. He knocks his hooves against each other, looking down at them. What good are two of these when there are centaurs with four legs, even stronger than his, that can stomp him down into the ground easier than he would like to admit? ...Even though they were younger and, well, what would he think of a unicorn and a deer fighting over a singular apple when they were surrounded by apple trees carrying the exact same type of apples? He admits never having seen the deer before, given they live in the outer part of the forest - but that unicorn, it’s infamous by now. 

Ah well. He shouldn’t have meddled, in hindsight. But he doesn’t feel it in him to simply let discord happen where he can see it. He might not be the strongest, nor the wisest or the quickest, and most certainly not the most positive of all influences but he does like harmony and peace. Far too much to have others disturb it. 

They still do, regardless. But they have fun and Ennoshita would be lying to say he doesn’t enjoy himself sometimes too. Even if trying to keep a werewolf sane and reasonable is a chore sometimes. He’s dependable, the only werewolf that you could talk to without fearing to get eaten (and, secretly, Ennoshita wishes he could be as fierce as him too sometimes) but burying and hiding an undead’s body parts _right in front of said undead’s nose_ , that…. well, werewolves aren’t known to have much control at full moon. He should have just stayed in his cave, like all others do.

But Daichi asked him. Said he trusts him. He knows Ennoshita would be the only one to be grounded enough to keep him tame when he can’t do it himself. ...Sometimes, at least. 

Another sigh escapes Ennoshita’s throat as he picks remains of Tanaka’s net off his scarf. He wouldn’t do any of this if he didn’t like them. They are his friends and being depended on, being trusted - he would never admit it out aloud, but he sort of really likes the feeling. 

Quite a lot. Quite too much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> plottwist: it had been enno who got caught in tanaka's net (who frowned bc he wanted to meet someone new and then had to endure enno's constant sighing and disappointment) 
> 
> enno might as well be a masochist, i have no idea if this is how it was supposed to be, i'm sorry enno, forgive me


	9. ghost yamaguchi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah seeing as yamaguchi is a ghost, so he talks a load about death. if that's something that makes you uncomfortable please either skip this chapter or proceed with some caution :>   
> anyway, [here](https://twitter.com/moontobio/status/652956675826130944) is suikka's super lovely drawing of ghost yamaguchi and [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc0zEfQ-90c) is his track!

When Yamaguchi died, years ago, he had been sure everything was over. That’s how it is always suggested after all. You die and that’s that. If you lived a good life, good for you, if not then… well, bad luck. Surprisingly, when he woke up again - though feeling a lot lighter than before - his first thought was that it might have just been a bad dream after all. That nothing actually happened. 

Until he meant to move his legs and realizing there were none. He was _floating_. 

By now, Yamaguchi has gotten used to this. It has its advantages, being a ghost and passing through things rather than running into them and getting hurt. And floating is a lot less effort and much more fun compared to walking and running and jumping. He misses eating a little though. Or drinking. Or… Sometimes feeling would be really nice too but aside from an occasional uncomfortable sensation if someone living passes through him, there is not much left in that department. 

He found out he can, for a short time, materialize but it takes up enough of his energy for him to be unable to move around freely for days and it makes him flicker, distressingly so. Like he can’t stay visible nor invisible. Sometimes he’s afraid he might just disappear whenever it happens. Just like that. He would just be gone - for real, this time. 

While he was scared in the beginning, of being a ghost and not himself at all anymore, the forest he was buried in turned out to be a lot nicer than he first expected. There are some scary monsters walking around - especially at night time - but it eases Yamaguchi’s mind that he can make himself invisible if he feels scared. The last time he did this was when he heard a terribly loud roar and found himself seconds later surrounded by a pack of werewolves. Full moon, he missed the memo, apparently. 

Good thing they didn’t notice him. Good thing nearly no one ever does. There is a fairy, particularly sharp eyes and despite its small size seeming big and… sometimes a little scary too, the only one that roams the deeper parts of the forest but Yamaguchi likes him. He always grows really pretty flowers around and makes even the dark parts of the forest seem a little nicer. In contrary to his friend, the spider. _That_ was one intimidating fellow. At first sight at least. 

He is plenty nice, that Tanaka. A little upset Yamaguchi never gets caught up in his nets and very energetic but in a good way. It was him who introduced Yamaguchi to a somehow different satyr than he expected. But nice as well. Everyone he met so far, no matter their scary appearances, has been pleasant to be around with. It makes him feel a lot less lonely. 

He even met someone who is a little like him, close to where he sleeps as well. Also not alive but not really dead either. Though he still has a body but he doesn’t feel anything at all and… he does lose a lot of his limbs. Yamaguchi wonders sometimes if he’d rather like to be like Asahi. He thinks he might prefer being a ghost after all. 

He is certain there are a lot of creatures he hasn’t met yet, especially close to the water and even though he wouldn’t call himself brave at all, Yamaguchi at least knows he is very curious nonetheless. He has heard about a unicorn he has never seen, heard rumours of a lost deer, stories of people made of metal… perhaps he will go to the snake’s lair and ask Tsukki to come with him and climb the cliffs at the other end of the forest just to see who might reside there. Rapturous yet dangerous winged beasts were said to live there. He wants to see them.

Because even after death, no, especially after death, Yamaguchi sees incredible things and he finds he wants to explore the forest in its entirety - no matter how long that'll take.


	10. naga tsukishima

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay here we go again! [here's](https://twitter.com/moontobio/status/652956675826130944) suikka's stunningly beautiful and detailed tsukki and [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEGtv0A6JMY) is the daily matching bg track, one of my favourite songs of one of my favourite games!!

He looks at the shells handed to him by a merman who appears to have taken a liking to the forest (for no reason Tsukishima would understand) and wonders if there is any use for them. That merman had pressed them into his hands, apparently mistaking Tsukishima for one of his own at first. ...He wasn’t that wrong - after all, they were both seen as some sort of dangerous creatures, shimmering scales covering the lower parts of their body though they still belonged to different worlds. The merman swimming through the water while he slithers over the ground. 

Tsukishima never enjoyed being different in particular. He remembers times in which he would use his magic just to appear human, to be left alone. His brother did the same after all. But they were betrayed eventually, when humans had realized they weren’t like them - stronger, mightier, _dangerous_. They hunted them, caught them to torture them and stole all of the treasures his family had guarded. 

The only ones that survived were him and his brother, hiding in the forest rather than try to save what family they still had left. He always deemed his brother to be brave, a hero - that’s what he suggested to be too. But in the end… 

He might make a pendant out of the shells. Polish them a little, and find something to decorate them with. Perhaps give it back to that merman then. He wouldn’t have thought a creature of the sea would so willingly come here when it has an entire ocean as its home. It’s weird. He would prefer to be able to hide in the widths of the ocean rather than be cooped up in a forest that didn’t need more than a few years to be explored thoroughly. 

So he thought. And yet, every day he hears about new things happening. Of that one stupid unicorn finding a new friend he fights loudly with, or a plant awoken to life, and that merman told him about a sea creature half human, half octopus with a stern face down where the river and the sea meet. Sometimes Tsukishima hears sounds he has never heard before and on instinct his tail curls up to keep himself from getting into trouble. 

Usually, he tries to convince himself, it’s not worth the trouble anyway. Should he find someone new, it would make no difference to him. He isn’t in this forest because he wants to be. It’s the only safe place he knows, the only place where he can live peacefully as long as he doesn’t meddle with others too much. That his brother comes by every now and then to ask him whether he has made new friends, he doesn’t care about that in particular. 

If Yamaguchi weren’t as transparent, he could give him the pendant. But he wouldn’t be able to wear it nor grasp it. It wouldn’t make any sense. ...But he could take it with him to the cliffs Yamaguchi asked him to accompany him to. If there are any creatures there to attack them, he could perhaps make a deal with them to leave them be in exchange for a pretty necklace of a material not found in the forest. 

If it guarantees safety, then Tsukishima is gladly willing to give whatever he has.


	11. succubus kiyoko

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> double update bc i have to catch up somewhen! [here](https://twitter.com/moontobio/status/653352520870404101) is suikka's gorgeous kiyoko and [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE0aHGES-d8) is the matching bg, i couldn't resist to use a track from the catherine soundtrack :')

The rustling of the bushes doesn’t scare Kiyoko any longer. Not that they ever have, they simply made her uncomfortable sometimes. She knows she is one of the most powerful beings in the forest - and that she has two bodyguards she never asked for but doesn’t necessarily mind. They don’t seem to know she knows of their activities of being quite…. overprotective sometimes. 

Surprisingly, the inhabitants of this forest were a more accepting bunch than she thought they would be. They live their daily lives as if nothing could faze them, some with dignity, some losing their limbs yet still seeming content with the way their life (or death?) goes. 

Different from how things in underworld were working where you would be scolded and punished for every smallest mistake. And the punishments were of a torturous kind. Thankfully, Kiyoko has always been a very diligent succubus yet it tired her out to the point she decided to flee when a flashy, big-mouthed demon caused a ruckus down in the underworld. 

Ever since she has been hiding in the forest and while her powers are slowly decaying, she feels like she doesn’t mind it much. She doesn’t need them here, where everyone minded their own business. It is a comfortable environment to live in, after all she has been used to down there. The only thing she misses occasionally is a change of clothes. At least the fashion in the underworld was on point, that much she can’t deny. 

Lately, she feels like one of her kind might be around in this forest as well - uncertain if she should be wary not to be caught if underworld decided to send someone to look for her or whether she should actively look out for whoever that was. For now, she feels safer being unknown, a force to be reckoned and make a name for herself. Because even though she knows she is strong, Kiyoko can’t estimate the other creatures’ power. She wonders who the strongest might be? 

The beautiful merman she met not too long ago would probably be the strongest in his element yet not so much at the surface, that she is sure of. As nice as Suga’s face suggested his personality would be, as much she knows, from personal experience, that it is just a trap to walk into. _She_ is one of those and she knows the same type of personality when she sets eyes on them. 

That werewolf (Daichi, if she remembers correctly?) seems to be physically very strong but… self-control would be vital to win a fight and he doesn’t seem to always sustain it. She remembers seeing something she figured to be a satyr trying to calm him - to little avail. Poor thing, though they didn’t seem to be fighting. 

The rustling is back and she sees a faint glint hovering over the thorny bushes surrounding the place she has made herself comfortable in - covered in pink roses in a span of seconds, the most beautiful ones she has ever seen. She wouldn’t tell the fairy that she very much appreciates his magic around - somehow she feels like they enjoy this, him and his spider friend, doing this sort of thing from afar. She wonders if she should tell them that the love they feel is just because of her magic. But she decides to leave that for another time. For after she finds out who the strongest in this forest is.

A dragon maybe? A golem? Or perhaps a harpy? The possibilities are endless and Kiyoko can’t suppress a grin to spread on her lips. She will find that out, that she will make sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sometimes kiyoko thinks everyone just likes her bc she is a succubus and ~her seductive magic~ is too strong


	12. harpy yachi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow that... was kind of a very long absence from my side even though i meant to update daily. just had some thing to sort out and no time for writing at all, i'm really sorry!
> 
> but here we go with [this lovely harpy yachi](https://twitter.com/moontobio/status/653696659453513729) by suikka and [today's yachi theme song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQX27xjXl70)!

_Don’t look down, Hitoka, it’s alright, you might be very high up but you have_ wings _after all, even if you were to fall, you wouldn’t break a single bone, they are too light anyway but if they are light doesn’t that mean they will break easier and then what will you do, you are useless as a hunter already because you can’t even look down at this point but it’s only because death is so imminent, like what if my wings don’t open soon enough, what if my reaction is off_ , what I just smack down on the ground and----

Now Yachi, she is aware of the fact that she is a _harpy_ with actual _wings_ but nature hasn’t been kind enough to also relieve her of the fear of heights. Her mother keeps telling her how ridiculous that is, it is in their nature not to be afraid of a high altitude _given they live up the highest cliffs in the entire forest area_ but as much as Yachi tried (and all feathery Gods up in the Heaven that are most definitely not afraid of heights, she tried almost everything by now), nothing ever relieved her of the uneasy feeling when looking down to the ground from up above. 

Nature has been as unkind as it could be, Yachi finds, and tries not to look down after all. The claws on her feet sink into the branch so deeply that it cracks uncomfortably - needless to say, a cold sweat breaks out on Yachi’s back almost immediately. _I will fall and die_ is her first instinct as opposed to the more logical approach of _I am a winged beast that could rip werewolves apart_. ...Werewolves seem a lot less scary than height is though. They are almost sort of cute with their fur and ears and Yachi definitely wishes she could have been that rather than a harpy. Or maybe a unicorn. Or a mermaid. _Anything_ but a winged beast. With claws. And feathers. And an unnecessarily long tail that makes Yachi think it might not be as good for keeping her in the air and navigating her properly. 

Then what? If she should ever start flying, she would just end up in the middle of nowhere, all by herself, no one around - what if she doesn’t speak the language of those people there, _what if she offends them_ and then they will end up eating her and that’s the end of her story---

No, impossible, this is not how she wants it to end, she still has the forest to discover. Eventually. There can’t be beasts more frightening than height is. At least that much, Yachi is 100% sure and certain even though that dragon that was flying around _and accidentally almost knocked her from her branch_ (as she had been staring down the abyss that is also called ground), it did seem scary and big. ...And loud. 

Other than that though, Yachi hasn’t seen many other beasts strolling around - mainly because barely any of them dared to climb up the cliffs. And if they did, they usually ended up getting beaten up by Yachi’s entire flight. ….In hindsight, she guesses she is scary to others as well and suddenly flails as she realizes that even if she were to go to the forest _the inhabitants would hate her_ and she would end up with no friends alone in the big and dark forest and----

The rocks crackle and Yachi yelps, breathing in air so sharply that her entirely body stiffens automatically into a defensive position. She did want to have friends - but she doesn’t think she is ready _this_ soon. Hopefully, the slithering noises don’t mean bad news… or do they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you believe this, a harpy who is afraid of heights, thanks suikka


	13. cyclops kuroo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been like half a year already but i haven't forgotten. these are still very good warm-up drabbles and i love immersing myself in them so here we go, months late but!   
> [suikka's kuroo](https://twitter.com/moontobio/status/654364366318534656) and the [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsQywB8UsBc) that goes with this!

Life as a merchant is certainly not easy when you are living out in the forest. It gets even harder when you act as a merchant between humans and creatures from the forest. Especially when you have only one eye. Now the beasts living in the forest aren’t bothered by that in the slightest - most of them of more wondrous origin, some not native to the forest itself, from lands far away. 

Humans are the problem. The source of all problems, in fact. Kuroo prefers wrestling down a turned werewolf at full moon or a hungry unicorn and by all deities, those are truly the worst fiends. Not counting the demons residing in this forest as of new, their wits unrivaled and their powers too mighty to anger them. Then again, Kuroo never shies away from a good challenge and that one demon with his annoyingly clever demeanor… Kuroo is certain they were meant to be enemies, somehow. 

If it weren’t for his sticky friend Kenma, Kuroo knows he’d probably get into even more trouble. Lucky him Kenma keeps his eyes open even as a small slimy puddle and tells him of whoever passes by him (sometimes even through him. Highly unfortunate for every party involved.) 

Humans, though, they couldn’t be supervised. Nor controlled. Tongues sharp when they know nothing, knives at their belt all too ready to slice and harm, humans are the dangerous ones. And even if they give Kuroo headaches, they are also his valuable customers. Without them, he would have no food, no materials to trade to the forest inhabitants either. 

He’s never chosen to be a mediator but he’s always been good at tricking others and luring them into his traps. Despite being a cyclops, most humans still rely on him for forest goods and it’s probably the lesser of two evils dealing with a human-like beast born with only one eye and growing very tiny horns than, say, a golem. Or a dragon. Or a spider. Kuroo’s learnt to make use of that. 

Lately, he has gotten his hands on a new type of apples growing around the area, dark red ones with a taste so sweet Kuroo is far too often inclined to keep them to himself rather than sell them but humans long for them even more than that simple-minded unicorn does. They are like pure gold and Kuroo’s will to keep the trades between humans and beasts intact overrule most of his other thoughts. 

He could sell the apples to the baker down the main street and demand some apple pie made of those in return. It would raise Kenma’s mood quite a bit after he had to deal days entire with the young dragon pestering him. And some of them, he might as well give to the gardener in exchange for some fertilizer to apologize to Yaku for sitting on his flowers. Again. 

Perhaps the forest inhabitants were the meddlesome ones after all. Kuroo prefers them regardless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kuroo's living the thug life, he's probably the one who knows the most beasts in the forest and he didn't even cover half the monsters he has to apologize to as well


End file.
